Whoever Said School Couldn't Kill?
by Fox Kitsune
Summary: [cowritten by aZn DrEaMeR xD] The students of Kadic are trapped in the school with a murderer on the loose. Just who exactly is this murderer? And will the Lyoko gang find out who it is too late? YxU, JxA, OxOC [rated for violence and gore]
1. Trouble Brewing

_Disclaimer: Neither I nor the fantastic _**-blanches-**_ Anime Bubbles own Code Lyoko._

_Fox Kitsune: Konnichiwa everyone! This is Fox Kitsune. Although still working on numerous other stories, I got this idea in my head that just WOULDN'T leave. I've never written a horror fic before and thought it'd be fun._

_This story is co-written by the super, fantastic, greatest Anime Bubbles _**-tries not to throw up-**_, who wrote many other fantastic Code Lyoko stories you need to check out! So…although it is posted on my name don't forget it! Anyway, hope you enjoy this story!_

**Anime Bubbles: TEEHEE I HOPE YOU ENJOY:DDD By the way, I'm the bold, she's the italics.**

_Summary: Storm outside, doors locked, killer inside. How can you trust someone when they could be trying to kill you? Just who exactly is the murderer of Kadic Jr. High, and how will the students escape?_

Whoever Said School Couldn't Kill?

Chapter 1: Trouble Brewing

To say it was a normal day for the residents of Kadic Jr. High wouldn't be a total lie. There were some, preppy, like Sissy, busily checking themselves in their mirrors in a vain attempt to look as gorgeous as she thought she was, while others, like Millie and Tamiya, were busy with their cameras, getting the latest stories.

Then there were some, like Ulrich, Yumi, Odd, Aelita, and Jeremie, who were surprisingly, not busy.

But, this day, that started normal enough, would not end the same way.

X

Yumi walked down the busy halls of Kadic, towards her friend's room. Many students waved at her as she passed by, celebrating at the fact that it was Friday, and class was over.

She was stopped though, by the 'royal highness' herself. Sissy, flipping her hair over her shoulder, scurried to her in the hallways.

"Hello Yumi, can I talk to you for a second?" Her 'nails on a chalkboard' voice rang out. Yumi sighed and continued walking, not stopping as the preppy teenager had to jog to catch up to her.

"Hey! I was talking to you!" she said angrily, glaring at Yumi in a futile attempt to scare her.

Yumi finally stopped walking and turned on her heels quickly, almost knocking the unsuspecting girl off her feet.

"And I know what it's about," the Japanese girl said in a tone of her own.

Sissy rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. Her weight shifted to one foot.

"And how would you know?"

But the other girl had already continued her trek down the hallways. Sissy felt the blood rush to her head.

She took a deep breath. "I know you're going to see Ulrich! We'll he told me he loved me!" she screamed from the other end of the hallway, but, by this time, Yumi was already in front of his door.

She knocked lightly on the white painted pine door, and heard a grunt before it swung open to reveal the very person whose name had been screamed only seconds before.

"Uh…hey Yumi…what's up?" he asked, then realized he was clad without a shirt and blushed. He ducked behind the door a minute, but opened it so Yumi could come in.

She took advantage of his invitation and walked in his room, and saw him digging through one of his drawers looking for a shirt. She peeled her eyes away and instead, stared at the picture on his beside table.

It was in a beautiful, but simple, silver frame, and inside was a picture Odd had taken of them. Ulrich sat cross-legged on the dewy grass of the park, and Yumi sat on her knees behind him, hugging him around the neck.

He finally pulled his classic green shirt on and stood in front of Yumi.

"Hey, what's going on?" He asked, sitting next to her on the bed.

Yumi didn't say a word, but her face turned bright red. "What were you doing…you know…like that? I mean, class just got out…"

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I was asleep actually. Sorry if I kept you waiting long…"

A lot of things had happened since Sissy's prank note, but although time had gone on, neither of the two friends had done anything about it.

"I wanted to talk to you about Jeremie…"

Ulrich's eyes grew huge, as if he couldn't fully grasp what the girl next to him was saying. He wasn't sure if she felt the same about him as he did her, but he never suspected that Yumi had feelings for Jeremie.

"Not like that Ulrich… I mean, Aelita's materialized now, and he turns into a tomato every time he's around her, but he won't do anything about it…"

Ulrich nodded, saying he was following. "So, I'm going to talk to Odd too, but I think we should try and, ya know, hook them up."

Ulrich let out a breath of air that he had obviously been holding in. "Ok," he said, giving her a small smile. "I'll help!"

Yumi looked around the room, noticing the absent of something somewhat important. "Where is Odd by the way?"

Ulrich let out a small laugh. "It's six o'clock Yumi, where else?"

X

Yumi said goodbye to Ulrich and left his room, quietly closing his door so he could go back to bed, or do whatever guys did.

She turned the corner and saw Sissy, leaning against the wall. Her jumpy attitude and the way she dashed to Yumi, made her believe that she had been waiting for the Japanese girl.

"Hey Yumi," she said again, her voice ringing.

"Ya know, for someone who hates me, you sure wanna be around me a lot," retorted Yumi, stopping to look the prep in the eyes.

Sissy smacked her lips and crossed her arms. "You're funny Yumi! It's Ulrich that I want to be around! He told me he loved me, so don't you go near him anymore or you'll be sorry!"

A flash illuminated Yumi's reply. It was lightning, pouring in through the window. It was just a single flash, but only thirty seconds later, there came another one.

The lights in Kadic flickered off, but came back on. Sissy screamed.

Ulrich ran over to Yumi, who was frozen in place. "Yumi! Yumi! Are you okay?" he asked, grabbing her by the shoulders.

Something fell off a shelf, shattering to the floor when thunder rattled the whole school. Yumi nodded. "I'm fine."

X

Jeremie and Aelita, running hand in hand ran back to the school. They had been in the park with a cloudless sky only ten minutes before. Now rain was pouring, making it hard for them to see.

He tore open the door, pushing Aelita into the school before he went in. He closed the door loudly behind him and they both stopped to catch their breath.

It was then that a girl walked over to them. She was average height, with long, flowing light brown hair, left down that clung to the middle of her back. Her soft green eyes looked them over before she motioned for them to follow her.

They were in a part of the school they had never seen before. They were walking down a long corridor, where a living room type area was at the end.

She sat them down at the couch and poured them hot chocolate to warm them up.

"I don't know about you sir, but ma'am, if you want to borrow some clothes to let those dry, I can bring you some," she said, her voice was soft.

Aelita smiled, her clothes clinging to her and heavy with water. "That'd be nice, thank you!"

Jeremie looked around the room, "Where are we?" he asked, surveying his surroundings. "I've never seen anyplace like this before…"

The girl came back with clothes folded neatly in her arms. "The bathroom's right there," she said pointing, "You can go change in there. If you give me your clothes when you come out, I'll dry them for you."

She sat down in the chair across from the couch. Jeremie looked her over, "Who're you?"

She suddenly jumped up. "Of course! You probably want a towel yes? I'll go get you one!" she said, running out of the room and towards the kitchen.

"It's like a house inside of Kadic…is that even possible?" he asked aloud, but also the fact of the sudden change of weather clung to his mind.

She returned with a big, fluffy towel. "I bet I could find you some new clothes, somewhere…if you'd like…"

Jeremie shook his head, thanking her for the towel, just as Aelita came back. She wore a long sleeve white shirt, and some long flannel pants.

"Thank you very much ma'am. I'm Aelita, and he's Jeremie," she said, introducing them.

The girl smiled. "It's very nice to meet the two of you… to answer your question before, I have no clue as to where we are… I found this place only moments before myself, trying to escape the rain."

Jeremie looked at her skeptically. If that was the case, how did she know where the towels were, or that she had clothes that Aelita could borrow?

He didn't trust this girl, and decided not to drink his hot chocolate…

X

"Ulrich? Where are you?" Yumi yelled. The lights had gone off; the storm had knocked out all the electricity.

"Over here Yumi!" he yelled back, and she took a few uneasy steps towards where he claimed he was.

"Ouch!" a familiar voice yelled, and Yumi backed up.

"Odd, what happened?" she asked, reaching out her hand towards him.

She felt him and breathed a sigh of relief. "You stepped on my foot!"

"Oh, sorry…" she said back. Between their conversation, Ulrich had directed himself through the pitch-black and found them.

Yumi threw her arms around him, "Thank goodness! I was worried!" she said, and then realized what she was doing and pulled herself off, muttering an apology.

She was glad that it was pitch-black for once, because her face was RED. "Where are Jeremie and Aelita?"

"They were outside, at the park…uh oh!" answered Odd.

"What if they're in trouble?" he asked, worried for his friends.

The lights flickered on, and Yumi ran toward a door. It was locked. "It's locked…who could've locked it?"

The boys shrugged, but Yumi screamed as her eyes fell on something…

Mrs. Hertz lay on the ground, covered in blood. A knife was in her side, and she had cuts all over her face. Her glasses lay on the floor next to her, broken.

Yumi felt her breathing get heavy, and hid her eyes. Ulrich ran over to her and hugged her, and she buried her face in his shoulder.

Odd was the only student in the room, out of about sixty-five, that was courageous enough to walk towards her.

He noticed something, a note clenched in her pale, cold, right hand.

He pried her hand open, and pulled the note out.

"It's a note guys!" he said, so that everyone could hear. "It says:

_It's all over…everyone will end up this way._

_There's no way to escape, don't even try._

_Who's my next victim? You'll never know till I strike!_

_Who am I? You might want to find out before it's too late…_

_You're all going to die, so say goodbye._

_Don't worry, don't struggle, it will be painless._

_Be ready for whatever happens! Or it will be your undoing!"_

Odd finished reading the note with a lump in his throat. Yumi burrowed farther into Ulrich, trying not to worry about her two missing friends.

On one of the walls, written in blood, was:

"Kadic Jr. High, where you all are going to die!"

Someone among them was a murderer, and was going to kill them all!

X

_Fox Kitsune: Hey guys! That's it for chapter one! Please review and tell us what you think! There's a lot of unanswered questions in this chapter, so review and you'll find out the answers quicker! We'd really appreciate it! Any ideas you have for this story you can tell us and we'll see what we can do! Thanks for reading!_

**Anime Bubbles: And you know our style! There WILL be a bunch of romance, I promise. ;D Yes, especially that rich, sappy romance, full of fluff and sugary sweetness! And lots of –Yumi clings to Ulrich out of fear- moments HEHE.**


	2. Close Encounters

_Disclaimer: Neither I nor the fantastic_ **(Not as fantastic as ANIME BUBBLES).** _aZn DrEaMeR xD own Code Lyoko_

_Author's Note: Hey guys…as you noticed from the summary, or disclaimer, Anime Bubbles is no longer helping me write this story. I'm sorry you guys, but she can no longer help so aZn DrEaMeR xD graciously-_ **not graciously. She wanted to**.- _stepped in to help me instead! I hope you all enjoy chapter 2!_

**Azn Dreamer: XDDD ENJOYYY! We purposely posted this on Halloween for your freakishly scary enjoyments… -obviously-**

Whoever Said School Couldn't Kill?

Chapter 2: Close Encounters

Yumi burrowed her head into Ulrich's shoulder farther, feeling her breathing get hard. This couldn't be happening. Out of reflex, he placed his arms around her slim figure even tighter, laying his head on hers.

This couldn't be Xana's work-he had long ago been shut down and hadn't launched an attack in over four months because of it.

"This can't be happening…" Ulrich muttered, frozen in shock, not sure of what to do. He hadn't even realized that he was indeed holding the girl he loved out of the fear brewing deep inside of him.

Odd immediately moved away from Mrs. Hertz corpse, walking towards his two friends. The note was still clenched in his hand; his face had gone slightly white. "Ok…ha ha! Very funny. Ok, this joke's gone far enough," he said, but his voice was unsure, like he was praying someone would say it was just a joke.

No one came out from the crowd, saying indeed that it had all been a joke. Mrs. Hertz didn't move, and it wasn't like her to go along with a sick, twisted joke such as this. No, even before Odd had spoken, they all knew that it was really happening.

The wind howled outside, banging against the walls and windows, making eerie sounds echo throughout the school. Lightning still flashed in the sky, making the lights go off and on, while thunder shook the school beneath them.

Yumi finally pulled herself together and lifted her head from Ulrich. "It's just like the movies Hiroki watches… this isn't possible…"

The lightning flashed again, knocking out the power. The lights flickered off and didn't come back on. Yumi watched everyone, making sure nothing would happen to them, when she saw a shadowed figure run across the room and towards the boys' dorms, a knife or something of the sort in his hand.

She tapped Ulrich and pointed, so that he could see too, but the figure was gone by then and she was given a weird look. It was black as a midnight sky with no moon or stars, and every student of Kadic had found someone to hold on to out of fear.

The lights came back on, the backup generators kicking in, and Odd pulled out a chair and stood on it.

"Listen! Everyone just stay calm!" he yelled, and after a few seconds the crowd silenced themselves. "We need a plan! If we're going to get through this then we need to establish some rules and a plan!"

No one in the crowd said anything, and finally Odd's best friend agreed, saying that the most important thing was to make sure everyone was okay.

"Listen! No one should go anywhere without at least two other people with you…Don't go into any of the dorms or anywhere that you're unsure of-"

He was cut off as a boy from the crowd muttered, "Which is everywhere." Everyone looked at him; that was true. They weren't even sure if where they stood was safe.

Odd started to climb down from the chair, deciding that was all he needed to say. Right after stepping down, an arrow flew by overhead, in the direct path Odd's head had just been!

It stuck to the wall close to the ceiling, and Odd was having problems standing up. His eyes were huge and he needed something to hold on to. Ulrich and Yumi ran over to him to help.

"That almost hit him!" yelled the same boy as before, looking worried. "We're in big trouble!"

"Look!" Yumi drew everyone's attention away from the boy and towards her. "Look at the arrow!" Everyone adverted their eyes to the spot on the wall where it stuck, and saw a white piece of paper jabbed onto the spear. Another note?

Odd was still trembling, and it was getting hard for him to stand up. He had been the one in the group that loved scary movies, always proposing to watch them instead of some romance or comedy, but he never knew that he would someday be in the same shoes as the people on the television.

He finally regained himself though, and being the good rock climber he was, volunteered to fetch the letter, though still deadly afraid. He wouldn't show his emotions to anyone.

Many girls in the crowd of students committed on how brave he was, first the letter with Mrs. Hertz, the arrow almost at his head, and now volunteering for the tedious task of climbing up to an arrow on the wall.

He pulled a chair towards him, a tall one with long legs, and a velvet back and seat, and positioned it as close under the arrow as possible. But even standing on this chair he was too short.

He got on his tip toes, stood on the back of the chair, even climbed up a little bit, and finally he grabbed the arrow, pulling it out of the wall.

It was a scream that distracted the other students, and well as him, and their attention spread to the source. Odd fell off the chair from the sudden outburst, arrow in hand, landing roughly on his butt.

One of the seventh grade girls, a new friend of Millie and Tamiya, Lizzie, fell to the ground. The scream had come from her and suddenly everyone knew why. Blood came pouring from her back and eroding from her mouth as well. She tried to sit up and started coughing, sending blood down the front of her shirt.

It was only a couple of seconds later that she fell to the ground again, this time not moving. Her pale blue eyes were wide open, and her shoulder-length red hair matched her shirt and the carpet around her. The murderer had claimed his second victim.

It was death from a bullet, they later discovered, because the small hole in her back gave it away, and an identical one was in her stomach, an empty shell on the ground beside her.

"She was shot all the way through…" Yumi muttered, unable to believe what was going on.

"But I never heard a gun…did you guys?" replied Ulrich, but no one from the crowd of students had heard a gun shot either.

Odd felt the arrow in his clenched left hand suddenly get surprisingly heavy, and he pulled the note from the end of it. Despite the new death, the students pulled themselves together and gave him their attention.

"Another one…? Why do I have to read this?" His question was rhetorical, and almost instantly after, he felt himself clearing his throat.

"Another is gone, another waits to die.

No matter what happens, no matter how hard you try,

I'll kill you all, a single at a time!

So you better listen for the death bells' chimes!

Who's ready to die next? Who's it going to be?

That answer is known, only by me!

You'll never find out who I am,

You'll never get a chance,

Just minutes could remain from your very death!"

Odd started shaking again, and Yumi grabbed Ulrich's hand, no longer ashamed of it anymore. This was a terrible situation.

Sissy was shrieking; demanding who did this, and where "Daddy" was.

Everyone quickly clamped her mouth shut, they didn't want anymore noise.

Their stomachs churned, as if going to the top of the roller coaster and going down. The feeling they had was surely not happiness- it was the terror that they would be the next victim, but worse, their loved ones.

Yumi clung onto Ulrich, fresh tears soaked the boy's shirts, but he didn't seem to notice. He hugged her closer to him, savoring the moment of safety in each other's arms.

"The note…it's-it's written in b-blood…" Odd muttered, handing it to Ulrich.

Ulrich was forced to let go of Yumi, and the warm, tingly feeling he had was instantly gone.

Ulrich looked at the thick crimson words splattered across the paper, the killer's attempt to write poetry, some of the letters running.

"And it's still wet!"

Yumi took his hand and squeezed it harder than before, and many of the girls were starting to cry. The storm raged on outside, rain falling harder and harder.

Yumi felt tears prick her eyes, "I hope Jeremie and Aelita are okay…"

X

To say that her friends were okay would be an explanation others would believe true, but Jeremie still watched this girl with hawk eyes. She had already run off twice, claiming to have to do different things, and she still wasn't back yet.

"Aelita, we need to find a way out of here!"

Aelita looked at him, not sensing the problem. She was very trusting of people now that Xana was shut down. "But what about her?"

"She could be trying to harm us!" he said, keeping his voice low as he argued with the girl.

"Jeremie, Xana made you too paranoid… she let us out of the rain!"

Jeremie explained to her the facts he'd gathered, and she had to silently agree that something could be up…but they couldn't just leave her… could they…?

She sat pondering for a moment as the girl walked back in. "Sorry about that…I wasn't feeling too well… I think I'm okay now. Sorry to keep you guys waiting for so long."

"Do you know how to get from here?" asked Jeremie, testing her. Every breath, every word, every move she made, he'd remember it. He wouldn't let her harm Aelita. He mentally kicked himself for thinking that.

"Yes…but you-you won't like it once we leave this room…" she muttered, staring at her feet.

"You never told us your name," Aelita suddenly mentioned and the girl smiled, brushing her brown hair over her shoulder.

"Sarah."

That was all she said, she didn't even look as though she was thinking of muttering anything else. Just…Sarah.

"Listen…I don't care if we won't like what's outside of this room… our friends could be in danger!" Jeremie suddenly mentioned, bringing everyone back on track.

She sighed, looked around then nodded meekly. "Ok…follow me…but I warned you…"

X

The room was filled with silence; but the silence sent shivers. The cold, the rain- everything was a nightmare.

"I want my mommy…" Milly whimpered, "And my teddy…"

No one dared make fun of her. They all wished for the same thing. And soon, they probably would never see their family again…

Tamiya hugged her best friend tearfully, as both of them wailed.

In no time at all, the tears everyone had restrained were let free.

Everyone was all cried out in a few minutes, as they wiped their remaining tears on their sleeves.

A sudden "BOOM!" was heard, and a piercing screech right after. Everybody jumped in shock. Then everyone heard a "THUD!" as the body fell to the ground.

The figure groaned and squirmed, trying hard to get up, as blood poured from the wound. The eyes rolled, until their eyes were only milky white, as if they were blind. Their head was lifted just a bit in the beginning, and hope swept through everyone. But it fell. All hope was crushed and grinded under the heel. The person was dead, blood still freely flowing.

"Oh no…" Odd groaned, pounding his head on the wall. It didn't matter how many brain cells he lost. He would be dead anyway.

"Sophie!" Milly screamed, rushing to the dead body. The deceased girl's name was Anne-Sophie, but she was called Sophie.

"Oh, Milly! Another one… gone…" Tamiya turned her head, so to not look at her lost friend.

Yumi let go of Ulrich, and rushed through the crowd of students to go see the girl.

"An arrow!" Yumi gasped, looking at the sharp object in utter disgust.

"And to think it almost hit me…" Odd rubbed his head worriedly, looking around.

"Be glad that it didn't. The damage looks horrible." Ulrich replied, crouching down to get a closer view.

"There's probably a note."

"Careful. The arrow's probably poisonous. I suspect that's how she died."

Yumi tugged on the arrow, afraid that blood would pour out when she did.

"Here. I'll help." Ulrich volunteered. He held her hands, to aid her. The warm tingly feeling was back yet again.

They managed to get it out, and fortunately, the victim's blood did not pour out—much.

Yumi was right. There was a note attached.

"I'm not volunteering." Odd said, holding his hands up when everyone looked pointedly at him.

Yumi sighed, and reached for the note, shivers ran through her spine, her mind whirring.

Her breath came out as little puffs as thunder roared throughout the school. 

She cleared her throat, but felt like she was going to choke on her saliva.

In a shaky voice, she read aloud the bloody page:

_ You stand by the corpse  
Wonder what to do  
Worry all you want.  
I'll be coming for you._

You still don't know who I am  
You'll never get the chance!  
Don't bother running away.  
Cause I'll be there.  
Smirking in your face.

Everything will be quick.  
The next victim will be gone in a snap.Cry all you want!  
It'll be your last.  
Remember that.

Everyone was silent. Then a loud sob was heard. Milly was crying again.

Then murmurs were heard all over. 

"What if he tries to get me next?"

"I want my mommy!"

"Who's doing this?"

"I'm scared…"

"What the HELL…"

"Guys! We have to stay calm!" Yumi shouted over the noise, breathing heavily.

"I'm just as scared as you all are. But we have to stay calm! No one wander off!"

The last order was easy to follow. No one wanted to be separated.

"Maybe if we just lay down and pretend to be dead, the killer will go away." Odd suggested.

"That's so crazy, it might work…" Ulrich mumbled.

"What if the killer is watching us right now? What if he… or she, can h-hear u-us…" Yumi stuttered the last words, her sentence registering in her head. She shivered.

Suddenly a knife came in their direction… 

"ULRICH! WATCH OUT!"

X

_Fox Kitsune:_ _Ok people, here's chapter 2 for your Halloween needs. Hope you enjoy and keep reading… sorry for the confusion of the co-writer changing… please review and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!  
_


	3. False Hopes

**Author's Note:**

Fox Kitsune: Sorry for the slow update, it was my fault. Hope you all enjoy!

aZn dReAmEr xD: Hope you enjoy this chappie!  


**Whoever Said School Couldn't Kill?**

**Chapter 3: False Hopes**

"Oh, Jeremie!" Aelita whispered frighteningly to Jeremie.

Terrifying, solemn paintings were on the walls of old people, supposedly Sarah's ancestors, and were staring at the horrified couple. Their deadly eyes bored into them, and they could feel them glaring at their presence in the house.

There was actually a coffin in one of the rooms. Lightning suddenly brightened the room, as thunder accompanied it, and roared.

A few arrows were stuck on the walls, and there were red stains.

_Could it be blood? _Jeremie thought hesitantly. _No, of course not… why would there be blood?_

He mentally laughed nervously at himself for thinking that. But it wasn't assured.

All of a sudden, they stopped.

"Your friends, they are in there." Sarah pointed to a building across from them. It looked kind of old…

Aelita could make out a figure in the window. A pointy-haired figure leaning across the wall, grabbing something. Definitely Odd. She could recognize his figure anywhere.

"My friends!" Aelita gasped, "Are they in any danger?"

"No… not that I know of." Sarah replied smoothly.

"Not that I know of isn't good enough!" Jeremie cried, "We have to know!"

"Oh, they should be okay; it appears there is only an electricity shortage. They just have to wait until the power is back on." Her voice reassured Aelita, but unaffected Jeremie.

"We have to go over there!"

"No!" Sarah's voice was no longer smooth, "Stop! You'll get hurt out there! You are in danger the moment you enter in that building! Besides, we're locked in here."

"…We're locked in? How?"

"I don't know."

Aelita clutched onto Jeremie's arm. "I'm scared, Jeremie. What are we going to do? Are the others okay!"

"I'm sure they are…" But Jeremie was skeptical himself.

"Please let the others be okay, please…"

X

"ULRICH! WATCH OUT!" Yumi screamed, panicking. She was frozen in place, her face written with, "MY LOVE IS GOING TO BE KILLED. DO SOMETHING!" on it. In big, capital letters. With many, many exclamation points. 

The knife pinned Ulrich in the shirt. Ulrich had dodged, thanks to his karate practices, but the knife seemed to follow. It swerved and almost stabbed him in the shoulder. He winced, his face filled with fear.

"Wow. A knife that follows you. Nice…" Odd commented.

Yumi glared at him, and slapped him smartly across the face.

Odd quickly rephrased his statement. "I mean, uh, it would be cool if it didn't nearly stab Ulrich." 

He rubbed his cheek painfully.

"That's better." She approved, and ran to Ulrich.

"Are you okay?" She asked, terrified that the knife DID hurt him, she just missed it. 

Yumi hugged him hard, her head resting on his shoulder.

Ulrich wrapped his arms around her slender waist and told her he was fine. But he couldn't free himself of the knife.

She pulled herself off him reluctantly, and pulled on the knife. He was right. The knife stood firm.

"Guys! Someone, help!" Yumi yelled, pulling on the knife fiercely.

Odd quickly rushed over, and pulled the knife as well. Others also arrived to the scene, and contributed. The knife seemed to hate them all.

With extreme force, Yumi pulled like she never had before. Her feet were on the wall as she pulled. To her surprise, the knife clattered to the floor, and she was sent flying back.

"AT LAST! I'M FREE!" Ulrich yelled, pumping his fist into the air.

"Hah, yeah! Finally!" Odd remarked.

Then he stared at the floor. "Another note!" He exclaimed.

No one was surprised.

Yumi got up and rushed to the commotion.

"What does it say?"

Odd picked up the paper, his voice quivering.

_"Don't celebrate yet.  
Your time's nearly up.  
You think you'll be okay?  
Well, think again!_

Five are down.  
You could be the next!  
Just watch your back.  
Because I'm all around…

You breathe the air that I do.  
Like toxic to your lungs.  
You panic, fear for your life.  
But you needn't worry,  
It's already mine!"

_  
_"Oh my GOD. AELITA AND JEREMIE. What if they're dead?"

"Why would they be? I'm sure they're safer wherever they are than here!"

"The assassin said FIVE people. Not THREE!" She screamed, "What if Aelita's hurt? What if she's dead by now? What about Jeremie? How do we help them? How do they help us!"

Yumi blathered on about the possibilities until.__

A shriek came behind them.

"Ohhh, not another one…" Ulrich groaned, rushing to the source of the noise. Yumi followed close behind. 

"No, I'm not dead… yet…" Milly whimpered, "I'm just terrified. Besides the fact that this person can't write poetry, he's trying to murder us!"

As Yumi hugged the crying girl (And Ulrich tried to soothe her with his awesome, reassuring words, xDDD), Odd gloated- just a tiny bit. "I have catlike reflexes! If I can dodge arrows, perhaps I'll survive this little game."

He meant the arrow in Lyoko. However, he did get hit with arrows on Lyoko, but he wasn't killed, he was only de-virtualized. Here, it was reality. One shot, right in the center of his chest- he would be a goner. Not to mention blood would be pouring out, and he would be lying next to the corpses of Mrs. Hertz, Sophie, and Lizzie. He shivered at the thought.

"I'm not so sure of that." A voice replied. It was sly, witty, sleek… Just like an assassins voice would sound like. The thing was, they could not tell if it was a female or a male. It was impossible. It was stuck right in the middle, like cream in an Oreo cookie. Sadly, this wasn't the time to think up something as delicious as cream. Though every single, solitary person in here wanted something to eat. Standing there, watching their classmates fall to the ground didn't make one full… Though it did make them full of fear.

"ODD, COME ON! GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Ulrich yelled. Since he was right next to Odd, he was able to jump, and push both of them out of the way just in time.

"YEAH!" Everyone pumped their fists in the air, and doing a little victory dance.

Yumi walked up to the "thing" that almost strike Odd, and pulled it off the wall to examine it.

"It's… a dart… a MAGNETIC dart?" Yumi looked around, puzzled.

"The note, you moron! Read the note!" Sissy pestered.

Yumi sighed, "Yeah, Sissy, getting to it."

She took the note out and read,

"**Hah. I knew he would go running for his dear friend.  
Which is why I used this.  
I just proved this little boy wrong.  
He doesn't have cat-like reflexes, that idiot.  
This was the only thing I had left; I guess I wasted it too.  
It was supposed to be on my dart board.  
To throw darts at all of you! Too bad it ain't in poetry form, it would be quite amusing.  
I'm really not in the mood.  
And this time I'll be nice and say, you aren't too.  
I'll haunt you in your dreams tonight,  
If you can even sleep.  
I wish you a good dream,  
When no one will scream. All the doors are locked.  
You can't escape.  
You ask, why does this happen to me?**

**I say, why not?  
It's so fun just to see you fall and drop.  
Well, now guess what?  
There's another one coming.  
Beware."**

"That wasn't even poetry!" Odd complained.

"The murderer SAID that it wasn't!" Yumi sweat dropped, exasperated at Odd's stupidity.

"Oh."

They all heard a whoosh, followed by a shattering scream.

"Yep, the man keeps his word," Odd shook his head sadly.

A knife had been thrown, and hit the person square in the chest. The knife was of course, sharp. One prick of that thing and you'd have a major blood loss. Blood poured out, and no one was brave enough to mop up the blood with their shirt or shoe. Besides, if they wiped it with their shoe, wouldn't it be disrespectful? There was no note this time.

"Adam. Rest in peace, man." Nicholas mourned.

Adam was an outsider, a complete loner. Nicholas had befriended the boy, but Adam had always been shy and quiet towards others, so no one was crying, but they mourned for him anyways. It always hurt having a classmate dead even if you barely knew him or her.

"I don't know what to do now though. There's nothing to do but wait," Yumi moaned helplessly, banging her fist onto the wall next to a window.

"Wait! I think I got something…" Ulrich grinned malevolently.

"What?" The group of students huddled together excitedly.

"If we break the window, maybe we could climb through it." Ulrich explained. He also said he was motivated when Yumi had banged the wall, because the window was directly at the top of the place in which she banged.

"But the window is high up, and we don't know how to reach it." Yumi reasoned.

"And I'll get my hands all dirty!" Sissy protested.

"We should at least try it. It's better than staying here and wasting away to our death!" Ulrich argued.

"Yes, but what if there is something horrible outside that will kill us anyway?" Yumi questioned.

"Better than rotting away to our deaths." Someone answered.

"Yeah! What he said!" Sissy instantly changed sides when she noticed the statement was spoken by a good looking guy.

Ulrich examined the wall sporting the window, noticing the window was at least ten feet over his head, and it would be hard to get too, and to get everyone out of.

"Now what?" An angry and terrified girl yelled from the crowd. She was one of the many girls that liked Ulrich, which meant she and Sissy hated each other.

Ulrich shrugged, looking to his two friends for support. Neither had an idea.

A shuriken (throwing star) whizzed by and almost hit Ulrich. It was about an inch away, stuck deep into the wall right next to his head.

A note was attached, and Ulrich opened it to find a very short passage.

**Windows won't work, neither will doors for that matter. I hope you don't mind, but your friend Adam came in hand when writing this note. Anyway, no matter what you try, you're all going to die…**

Ulrich noticed it was written in blood, and he was shaking as he read it to the crowd of people in front of him.

"This is so stupid!" cried Emily. "Why the hell would anyone want to do this?"

Everyone else grew quiet, not sure of what to say in response to that.

The gang felt defeated, since the window was out of the question. A few students piped in to try it anyway, just to make sure, but everyone suddenly lost the will they had just had.

"Are we really going to die?" asked Yumi, now shaking slightly. Ulrich gently hugged her as Odd placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Everything will be okay…" Odd tried to cheer her up. But inside he wasn't even sure himself. _I hope…_

----

**Okay, that's it. Just for fun, can you guys guess where Jenn and I switched? Like, where one stopped and the other started. Just for fun. Anyway, hope everyone liked this chapter and please review!**


	4. Reunited, and it Feels So Bad

_Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah_

_Fox Kitsune: No one guessed right…hehe, but that's okay, I hope you had fun guessing! Anyway, thanks for all the reviews last chapter. If anyone was wondering, I started writing where it said "Ulrich examined the wall sporting the window"…yeah, I didn't write much but whatever. SO, hope everyone enjoys!_

_aZn DrEaMeR xD: …Just read. Too tired to write anything else._

Whoever Said School Couldn't Kill?

Chapter 4: Reunited, and It Feels So Bad

Owls hooted in the distance, a warm, inviting sound, since the sound of the storm had now diminished. The sky still held a few clouds, while the moon shone brilliant and full, the wind only slightly howling now.

Couples strolled down park lanes, holding hands and staring at the sky, wrapped in jackets, smiling happily. No one knew of the students trapped in Kadic Jr. High, fighting to stay alive…

X

Yumi was still wrapped in Ulrich's arms, burying her head deep into his shoulder, while Odd had his hand protectively on her shoulder. Yumi never was scared, or, never showed it at least, so this sudden display of fear threw everyone off, even if they were dealing with a murderer.

By this time, people were yawning and trying to keep themselves awake, either by poking and pinching themselves, or each other. Sure, they were fighting for their lives, but everyone has to sleep.

Emily stepped up and told everyone they needed to wake up and stick together, that was the only way they'd ever survive. Everyone tried their best to stay awake, but fatigue was setting in.

Everyone grouped off for a few minutes and tried to stay awake, and the Lyoko gang was left alone to talk about a few things.

"Who could it be? It can't be Xana…" Yumi asked, finally cheering up a little more and prying herself away from Ulrich (though she didn't want to).

Odd shrugged. "I can't believe this is happening…it's like a horror movie brought to life…"

"We need to figure out who it is…it has to be someone who goes to this school, because the murderer knows everyone's name…" Ulrich said, staring at the floor.

"True…I bet it's Sissy!" Yumi said, her eyes glazing over with anger.

"You know Sissy could never kill anyone…she'd be complaining of getting blood on her new outfit," Ulrich pointed out.

"That's true. But I still ponder about who it is," Yumi said.

The person who was behind all this was the person Yumi had never thought twice about.

---

"We're locked inside," Sarah said. "I'll go look for the key so we can get out of here, and hopefully save your friends or something. While I'm doing that, go make yourself comfy,"

"Thank you!" Aelita smiled at her as she walked off, shivers running up and down her spine.

"Make ourselves COMFY? HERE!" Jeremie whispered furiously.

"Jeremie!" Aelita swatted his arm. "That's not nice. It was probably only for Halloween. I'll go ask her later."

"Haha," Jeremie rolled his eyes. "Yeah right, Aelita."

"I'm sure that's the case!" Aelita growled.

They heard panting behind them, and a cold hand rest on both of their shoulders.

X

Yumi's head lolled back and forth, and she fought to keep it upright. It had been a very scary-and long-day for them, and despite the murderer and their friends dying, fatigue was setting in.

"Gosh! No matter what we do, it's hopeless!" she sighed, slapping her cheeks, trying to stay awake.

"Maybe we should feed whoever it is some food from the cafeteria…that should put them out!" Ulrich said jokingly, trying to lighten the mood, with no effect on the troubled girl.

Odd looked at his best friend. "Hey! I like the food!"

Ulrich sighed and opened his mouth to say something, but didn't have the chance as a breath-taking shrill filled the air.

"Did you hear that?" Yumi practically yelled, her head turning so fast it was a surprise she didn't get whiplash.

The other students all got up and ran towards the noise, which happened to come from the kitchen.

The Lyoko gang, or the three that composed it at the moment, were the first to the scene. Yumi turned away, tears of sadness and disgust filling her eyes. Ulrich gripped on to her and Odd's eyes grew big.

Splattered everywhere was the crimson liquid that had once made up Herb. Knives were in abundance, stuck to the floor, broken strings attached.

"What happened?" Sissy shrieked, not worried about her dead "follower" at the moment, but more importantly her life.

Odd, the master of horror movies, spoke up. "It's a classic. Sharp knives are tied to the ceiling and when someone walks into the room, the trap is triggered, and the knives go hurling down upon the helpless victim…"

Everyone looked sad, but only few cried. The murderer had struck again!

X

Aelita shrieked, and Jeremie hollered in surprise.

They both turned around, to see Sarah, breathing heavily.

"I'm sorry!" she apologized. "I just wanted to tell you I found the key,"

"Great! Let's get out of here!" Jeremie said happily.

"It's dangerous out there!" Sarah warned. "Be careful. I'll come with you."

"No, it's o-"

"Thank you!" Aelita interrupted him, jabbing the boy's ribs unnoticeably.

Sarah looked uncertain, glancing between them. "Um- I'll get my coat!"

She ran to the closet a few yards away, flung it open, and took out a worn-out coat, and jogged back to the back door. After a few turns with the key, she opened the door.

"Come on. I'm not sure how we're supposed to go inside though," Sarah admitted as they walked out the back door of the room they were in, ending up in a series of hallways.

"That's okay…we'll figure out something," Jeremie said hopefully.

Aelita nodded with a small smile, indicating that everything would be okay.

She was still scared, and she knew why. Sure in Lyoko she had to battle Xana and his monsters, but this was more real than anything she had ever faced in her life.

Jeremie saw her grief-stricken and scared face and grabbed her head, lacing their fingers together.

She smiled inwardly, but it soon faded, and they followed Sarah from the room…

"Please do not worry…I'm sure everything will be okay…"

Jeremie stopped walking. "Why is it that you seem to know everything that is happening?"

Aelita wanted to show him he was being rude, but she was curious as well.

X

Among the blood and remains of Herb was a bloody note, folded into a small square. No one wanted to go grab it, so Odd stepped over the puddles of blood and…other things, and picked it up.

He cleared his throat and returned to his friends. "Ready?" he asked meekly. No one in the crowd opposed but no one seemed happy to hear it.

He stuttered over the words.

"**Well, see what happens when you venture out on your own?**

**The same will happen if you choose to fall asleep-you might not wake up!**

**You say, "Why?" and all I do is laugh. It's a fun little game we're playing!**

**Another one down, and soon, everyone will end up this way.**

**I'd stay on your toes if I were you…**

**But it's always fun to play a game of chase!"**

Odd dropped the note, and it splattered into a pool of blood. He was shaking all over, and it wouldn't stop.

"What are we gonna do?" he finally muttered.

Their burning desire to live had died out, just like a candle's flame…

X

Aelita, Jeremie, and Sarah were busy trying to find a way in the school, when Sarah finally thought of something.

"Guys," she said, pointing up. "Air shafts?"

Jeremie looked up as well, adjusting his glasses and he weakly nodded. "It might work…"

Aelita nodded, it was a chance, even if slim. "How do we get up there?"

They began to pile objects around, first an old chair with a broken back, then an old, dusty dictionary, then a few other books and various objects.

"I'll climb up…" Jeremie volunteered. Aelita grabbed his head and steadied him as he climbed on the high chair and reached the ceiling. He pushed up with all his strength and the air shaft moved.

"Ok…I guess we'll just…crawl around until we find out which shaft leads to inside the school?"

Aelita nodded, a thought entering her mind. "You know...don't you think they would've thought of this?"

Her question appeared rhetorical, for no one answered it and Jeremie pulled himself inside of the ceiling tunnel.

"Come on. It's fine…just a bit dusty," he said, then sneezing so hard his glasses flew off his nose, only being held on by his ears.

Aelita nodded, and carefully climbed up the chair as well, grabbing Jeremie's hand as he pulled her in. Then Sarah followed and joined the other two teens in the shaft.

"Ok…which way should we go?" she asked, peering both ways carefully, squinting her eyes to adjust to the darkness.

Jeremie looked as well, then thought of the school's layout and chose to go right. He led the way, followed by a shaking Aelita and Sarah was bringing up the rear.

They crawled through the small tunnels, guessing ways to go, sometimes getting turned around or hitting dead ends. It was about twenty minutes later when Sarah finally spoke up.

"Wait Jeremie," she whispered venomously, and he stopped. "Do you hear that?"

Aelita was jumpy, and she and Jeremie strained their ears to hear. But they didn't hear anything. Jeremie shrugged and kept crawling.

Twenty minutes later they were still crawling through the ducts, trying to find their way around. It was then that Aelita looked behind her and noticed something-well, someone missing.

"Jeremie?" she asked, hoping to get the genius' attention. He stopped and turned back to look at her.

"Yes?"

"Where's Sarah?"

Jeremie's head jerked back, and he noticed the girl missing. He looked around, but didn't get to answer, because they heard the sound of someone crawling after them quickly.

Aelita screamed and strained her eyes to see who it was. The person was wearing all black, but besides that it was hard to see anything.

"Run Jeremie!"

It was obvious that this person had every intention of killing them. Their gleaming knife said it all.

Jeremie pushed Aelita in front of him, separating his secret love from the murderer that they had heard only little about.

Aelita crawled as quickly as she could, and she could hear Jeremie behind her. Her heart was racing, and she didn't even look at the way she was going, she just went as quickly as she could.

The person behind them was catching up to them, and they could see a cloth mask covering his or her features, and a bloody knife gripped securely in their left hand.

"Run all you want, but you will die!" the voice rang out, catching up to them to the point where the knife nicked Jeremie's heel. He cried out in pain, and despite his arms and legs turning to Jell-O, went faster and faster.

…

Aelita didn't know what happened next-it was all a blur. She only remembers hearing the sound of her heavy breathing and staring up at the overhead lights, the Lyoko gang gathered around her.

"What happened?" she asked, sitting up and looking around. The students of Kadic were hunched around her, staring at her.

"Aelita! You're alright!" Yumi exclaimed, hugging her friend in a death-grip. Aelita smiled and hugged her back.

"You were running through the vents, and fell through the one above us-I guess it was loose or something. Then you hit the ground and blacked out. Einstein is here as well."

At the sound of that, Aelita looked around and saw the genius sitting on a nearby chair, shaking uncontrollably.

"Jeremie!" she cried, running towards him.

"What happened to you?" Ulrich asked, wondering why they would be running so quickly.

"The murderer was chasing us!"

Everyone around them grew quiet, until the only sound was their breathing. Then, they heard the sound of someone in the vents above them, and a brunette girl fell to the floor.

She rubbed her head and looked around. "Where am I?"

"Sarah! I'm glad you're okay!" Aelita said happily, smiling as little as she could.

Odd smiled in her direction, trying to pry his eyes from her. _She's beautiful._

But Jeremie glared at her, a very pissed look in his eyes…

X

_Fox Kitsune: Gomen nasai for the very long wait! I hope everyone enjoyed and if they're any questions, please review and ask! Also, the chapter title doesn't mean it felt bad for the Lyoko gang to be reunited, but the students and killer being reunited. Haha, funny thing is, the first half of my part, I was listening to Shunichi Miyamoto while writing it, and the second half, I was watching Fear Factor. Lol._

_aZn DrEaMeR xD: Hm. Direct your praise to Sav (Fox Kitsune) she wrote basically everything. I wrote almost nothing! We'd most definitely appreciate critiquing._


	5. A New Plan

_Disclaimer: Notta_

_Author's Note: Fox Kitsune: Hey guys! It's been awhile, ne? Sorry. We've been busy and everything. Just go read!_

_ITStheJENNSTER: Wonderfully written chapter by Savannah. I'm so stupid; I practically forgot. Next time, it's my turn. I just need lots of reminders (reviews!!!) for me to write it. Haha. Give your props to Sav. :3_

**Whoever Said School Couldn't Kill?**

**Chapter 5: A New Plan**

Jeremie wasn't sure of what to do. Everyone had taken to this girl so quickly, but something about her wasn't right. He pulled Aelita close to him, blushing a little, wondering what was going on. Around them, the eerie darkness illuminated their shadows, dancing across the walls by the little light they actually had.

"Jeremie…are you alright?"

He nodded his head, though he really wasn't. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with this girl. He looked at her.

"How long have you been going to school here?"

Sarah turned towards him and bit her lip in thought. "Gee…I don't go to school here. I was just walking by when it started raining."

Jeremie nodded, unsure of what to say. Sissi was still off by all the popular kids, crying for Daddy and mourning over the loss of Herb. Ulrich was standing a little further away by a very panicked looking Yumi. Odd hadn't let his eyes leave Sarah since she first arrived.

She grabbed a notebook and a pen. "Well, can someone describe the school? I'm a pretty good artist…and maybe it'll help us. We can mark where the murderer has struck and where we've seen him." She sat down at a table, shrouded in darkness, squinting her eyes so she could see.

Yumi nodded, walking to her side. "That's a good idea Sarah."

Aelita nodded too, recalling the school, and describing it to Sarah. Sarah drew a rough copy of the school from a bird's eye-view without a roof.

Jeremie watched in silence, but suddenly something recalled in his mind. He watched Sarah draw and jumped up suddenly.

"You're left handed?!"

She nodded, confused as to where that came from. Jeremie sighed, calling the rest of the Lyoko group over with him.

"What's up?" Odd asked, once they had joined together in their little huddled-up circle. They put their arms around each other and listened to the blonde genius.

"She's the murderer!"

Yumi narrowed her eyebrows. "Yeah right Jeremie. You shouldn't joke right now!"

"1 in every 6 people is left-handed. The murderer is left handed because when he, or she, attacked me, they used their left hand!"

"So, just because she's left-handed doesn't mean anything!" Odd retorted.

"I have a bad feeling about her," Jeremie said, sighing.

Sarah walked over to them. "Is everything okay?"

Jeremie turned to look at her, opening his mouth to speak, but Odd interrupted him.

"It's fine."

Sarah sighed in relief. "That's good. So what are we going to do?"

Everyone shrugged, but Sarah suddenly looked around.

"I've got to go to the bathroom. Excuse me."

She walked away before anyone could say anything. There was a long moment of silence that was filled with eeriness.

The silence was shattered by a high-pitched scream, making the hair on everyone's neck stand on end. Sissi fell to the ground, a throwing knife stuck in her leg. She hollered in pain, crying and shrieking that she had almost died.

A paper airplane followed the knife and landed in front of Sissi. She scooted away from it, still hollering in pain. She tried to pull the knife out but it was stuck. The airplane landed on the ground, light against the blackness of the room. It was like a plague; everyone feared it, and respected it.

"Ulrich! Help me!" Sissi cried, looking to him, eyes wide with horror and fear.

Ulrich, sighing, walked to her side and gave the knife a gently tug. It slid out and blood flowed down her leg, the deep, crimson blood that the very murderer desperately wanted to see. She screamed in pain and terror, muttering something about a scar on her "perfect" form.

Nick ran to her side with a towel and handed it to her. She wiped up the blood, still crying, yelling that this murderer was dead when her daddy got a hold of him.

Odd bent down and picked up the note, hands shaking terribly, eyes wide as he stared at the white, crinkled paper. He read it over before testing his voice. He wasn't as freaked out this time, since the murderer hadn't actually killed anyone, but it was still scary to see knives being thrown at his classmates.

"**Well, maybe her 'daddy' will come after me now,**

**But I'm not worried anymore.**

**You think you are beginning to figure out,**

**But you really haven't got a clue.**

**I'd discover soon if I were you,**

**Or it will be your doom."**

He dropped the note as Sissi kept screeching in pain. "He's going after me next! Oh I knew he went after the pretty ones first!"

"Give it a rest Sissi, you're fine. You're not dying." Ulrich muttered, watching as Nick wrapped her leg up. She screamed at him and slapped him when he wrapped the bandages too tight.

"I wish he wouldn't have missed," Ulrich muttered to Odd, who agreed and laughed, though they were both glad that there wasn't another victim lying, bleeding, dismembered, on the floor. The sight of blood was becoming normal for them now, and it scared them.

"Hey guys!" Sarah called, seeming out of breath as she returned. "Is everything okay? I heard someone scream so I rushed back."

Jeremie opened his mouth to say something but Aelita butted in. "It's fine. The murderer tried to kill Sissi, but she's alright."

"That's good. Anyway, I was thinking. Maybe the six of us could try to get up to the ceiling beams and wait until the murderer tries to strike again. Then we can find out who it is!"

"It's better than running and hiding," Ulrich muttered and Yumi nodded, still trying to act strong despite the fact she felt like she was going to faint. Aelita was gripping Jeremie's arm so tight it went white but he didn't say anything to her. He tried flexing his fingers but couldn't. Somehow, the plan didn't sound too great though. He had been in those very airshafts before and had almost died because of it. But, he'd do it if it meant finding out who was murdering everyone. He didn't want Aelita to be hurt.

Surprised he had actually thought that, he quickly hid the red crawling onto his cheeks. He pulled the others away again though, and Aelita dislodged from his arm. They huddled up while Sarah watched on from the side.

"I don't like this. She could try to take us out one at a time."

Odd shook his head. "What would her motive be? I mean, she doesn't seem like the murdering type or anything."

"Maybe Xana found a way to reactivate himself and he took control of her," Yumi suggested, gulping quietly and trying to contain her shaking.

"I highly doubt that. It seems so improbable. We shut him down for good and besides, she doesn't have the Xana symbol," Jeremie retorted.

Aelita nodded. "Maybe he recreated Lyoko or something…he seems to get stronger all the time. Maybe he made himself a new world and learned to take control of things without it being obvious."

"Hey!" someone called out in the crowd, his voice sounding very pissed off. "Why do you guys keep talking and muttering to each other! Are you hiding something?" It was a boy in Yumi's class. He had black hair and was classified as a punk, though he didn't really act like it. He acted more like a bully. The gang stood up straight and disbanded.

"Oh yes," Odd said sarcastically. "You caught us. We're the murderer yet somehow we're always here when he strikes! Nifty little talent of ours, don't you think?"

The boy growled beneath his breath. "Don't get smart with me, you dickhead!" He yelled, marching over until he was right in front of Odd. He looked into his eyes and glared at him. "I think someone should teach you manners."

Odd sighed and shook his head. "Calm down buddy."

"What? Are you scared?"

"Petrified…" Odd replied sarcastically.

He looked like he was about to hit him, but Yumi stepped between them. "Listen Mark, I know this is frightening and everyone is ready to point fingers, but we need to stick together."

Mark backed off and went back to his friends, muttering things about how he wouldn't hit a girl. Yumi sighed and sat down on the floor.

"So, I think what Sarah said was a good idea," Odd said, looking back to the girl before them. He smiled at her and she smiled back, and he felt his cheeks go pink.

"Come on Romeo, now isn't the time to sweet talk Juliet. We need a plan then if we're going to do that," Ulrich suggested.

"Oh, you know you still dream of Yumi all the time!" Odd retorted, laughing when Ulrich turned pink. He looked to the ceiling. "So, Sarah, any ideas?"

Sarah shook her head. "Not really…but, no matter what we do, someone should stay here, in case the murderer strikes again…"

Yumi nodded. "I-I'll stay. Ulrich, will you…stay with me?" Around her, it felt like the darkness of the school was closing in, and she was powerless to stop it. That was her worst fear, being powerless to protect herself.

He hid the pink on his cheeks. "Sure Yumi. So I guess the four of you are going into the shafts?"

Aelita nodded. "Guess so…does anyone have a flashlight?" she asked the crowd. Everyone shook their heads.

"Why?!" Mark tested her. Odd sighed.

"We're gonna beat someone over the head with it. What the hell do you think we need it for?"

Mark prepared a retort, but Odd turned away his attention. Emily stood up. "I've got one that I keep in my backpack." She said, walking over and handing them one. Her eyes fell on Sarah for a moment before she returned to her friends.

Odd turned it on to test it. It shone brightly. Satisfied, he clicked it off then turned back to the others.

"Alright…let's go."

They nodded and began to stack chairs, books, whatever they could up. The group of terrified students watched them for a moment. "What are you doing?" one girl asked.

"Going into the shafts and waiting for when the murderer strikes again. Hopefully, we can find out who it is…" Odd replied.

Mark gave them a stern look. _They probably made a plan with their stupid other friends Yumi and that guy. I bet they are preparing their next attack!_

Yumi watched as Jeremie disappeared into the shafts, and helped Aelita up. Next, Odd climbed up and extended his hand to help Sarah. She managed to easily pull herself in without his help, though.

"Ul-Ulrich, do you think Jeremie is right? Do you think she is the murderer?"

Ulrich shrugged. "It's possible…it's hard to trust anyone in a situation like this… but I don't think it is her."

Yumi nodded, staring to the floor. "I…I'm scared Ulrich…" she weakly muttered, like she was ashamed.

Surprised, he put his arm around her, blushing. "Don't worry. We'll be okay, I promise."

"Where are all the adults?" she asked, suddenly. That surprised Ulrich too. He bet that the murderer had gotten to them first, but it was hard to tell.

"I'm…I'm not sure."

Yumi opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by a scream from the air shafts.

It was Aelita's scream….

X

_Fox Kitsune: That's it for chapter five! Sorry it took so long to update! Thanks for reading and review!_

_ITStheJENNSTER: Remember to drop a review on your way out; it'll make our day:)_


	6. Taking Charge

_Disclaimer: I know it's been a while since my last update, but I still don't own Code Lyoko._

_Author's Note: Sooooo… Yeah, it's been four years. That's a long time. I hope that someone, somewhere, is still reading this story. I haven't talked to Jenn in a while, so this next chapter is only me. Jenn, if you're reading this, send me a message so we can work on this story some more. Thanks for the loyal readers that haven't ditched me. I'm thankful (and surprised) that I still have you guys._

Whoever Said School Couldn't Kill

Chapter 6: Taking Charge

"Aelita!" yelled Yumi, running over to the chair stacked with items that led up to the open airshafts. She waited in silence, but never heard anything. There was nothing but silence. A deep, heavy silence that weighed more at that moment than every fear Yumi had had this entire, horrible night. It was one thing for her life to be in danger. It was much, much scarier when it was someone she cared about.

Ulrich stood beside her, staring up at the dark opening. "I'm going up," he stated suddenly. When Yumi looked like he was going to argue, he interrupted. "They could be in trouble. I have to go check it out."

Yumi grabbed his sleeve, preventing him from going into the shafts. "I know they could be in danger…but I don't want you going up there. You could get hurt too."

"Yumi, I know it's scary, but we have to stick together. They need me."

She had no choice but to let go of his sleeve and watch him lithely disappear into the ceiling. He was right. Right now, Aelita seemed to be in more danger than the students with their feet on the ground. And if Aelita was in danger, Odd and Jeremie were probably unsafe too.

Of course, Sissi was speaking the moment Ulrich was gone.

"Yumi Ishiyama!" she screamed, her shrill voice filling the room. "How dare you let him put himself in danger! Ulrich is worth way more than the rest of your silly gang!"

Yumi had never been so angry in her life. How dare Sissi, stuck-up, snobby, egotistical, crybaby Sissi with a daddy complex, speak to her about Ulrich that way. Sissi didn't understand anything. Sissi didn't understand real love, and how no matter how you feel, sometimes you had to take a step back. All Sissi cared about was her hair and her popularity. The Japanese girl clenched her fists as she felt the blood rush to her head. _Forget the murderer, _she thought angrily. _I'll kill Sissi myself._

Before she could voice any of her livid thoughts, and send more suspicion her way, William butted his way through the crowd until he was right in front of Sissi.

"Oh…Hello William," she replied, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Suddenly, Ulrich was no longer in her mind. In fact, she didn't care about the murderer at that moment; not when a good looking boy was around. William, however, was not as single-minded.

"Sissi, you need to shut up and grow up. Can't you see that everyone else here is busting their asses to get everyone out of here alive? You're the only one too spoiled to care about anything but causing drama. Save it for a better time, because no one else cares about your obvious and completely one-sided feelings for Ulrich but your own brown nose."

Sissi's eyes grew, and she huffed at William, crossing her arms over her chest and tapping her foot. "William, you are such a jerk!" she screamed, storming away, with Nicolas right on her heels.

Yumi smiled slightly. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me yet," he said, climbing on the chair too. He was tall enough to stand erect and be able to stick his head up inside the airshaft. "Ulrich? … Aelita? … Jeremie?" he called, his voice echoing through the room and down the shafts. There was no way that the Lyoko gang, wherever they may be, hadn't been able to hear him.

And yet, there was no answer.

Again, it was just a heavy, murderous silence. Until screams filled the room. William yelped, trying to jump down from the hazardously piled chair, and ended up tipping backwards, sending the mound of stuff flying and landing roughly on the floor on his back. With a _whoosh, _the air left his lungs, and he was coughing as he stared up at the ceiling.

"What is it?" Emily cried, peeking from around the crowd of curious students. "William, what did you see?"

The question went unanswered, however. At least, unanswered by William. With a blood curling drip, a pile of crimson was collecting on the floor. Yumi's dark, wide eyes followed it up to the source; it was blood, fresh blood leaking from the tiny slits in the base of the airshafts, clinging to the sides of the red-stained metal before collecting loudly on the floor, where it oozed and spilled its way across the tile, as if it was taunting them, chasing them.

"Ulrich!" she screamed, fearing the worst. Where was he? Suddenly, she realized that there was no way they'd ever survive this.

William was helped to his feet by one of his friends, a boy in his class. As he was catching his breath, he was bombarded with questions.

"What did you see?'

"Did you hear anything?"

"Who's blood is that?"

"Did someone try to come after you?"

"Are you alright? Can you breathe?"

"Why isn't anyone answering our calls?"

"Did you see who the murderer was?"

"Enough!" yelled Yumi, shoving her way through William's crowd of new fans. She stopped at his side. Her eyes showed it all; she didn't have to ask the question. Likewise, his sad, scared eyes were Yumi's silent answer.

William hadn't seen anything. He had no idea if anyone was still alive, or whose blood was leaking loudly onto the floor. It could've been Ulrich, or Jeremie, or Odd, or Aelita. It could've been one of the people that Yumi held most dear.

With every drip, drip, drip of the crimson liquid, the student's hopes faded again. Millie and Tamiya collapsed to the floor, hugging each other as they busted into tears. Theo was trying to console two 8th grade girls who were standing beside him. Caroline Savaroni, usually level-headed and a bit of a bully, was whimpering with the other cheerleaders about her fears. It seemed like everyone had given up their will to live. Why should they fight? Jeremie and the others had tried to fight, and look where it got them.

"William…" Yumi whispered. She wouldn't cry again. Not now. She had to be strong for Ulrich. So she willed the tears so hard that if it was possible for them to travel against gravity, they would've slid up her cheeks and back into her eyes. Tears welled up, she fought, and so they didn't fall.

He reached for her hand, a gesture that normally would've been unreciprocated and embarrassing, but Yumi let his warm fingers wrap around her hand. "It will be okay, Yumi," he promised, his voice still hoarse from the fall. "Ulrich's too strong for…" He let his sentence die off, much to Yumi's delight. "And your other friends too. Think," he continued, letting his voice drop so low that Yumi, even standing right beside him, had to strain to hear. "If we can defeat Xana, we can survive anything."

"So, you don't think this is Xana's doing?" Yumi asked. She had wanted to ask him earlier, during their Team Lyoko huddle, but he had been impossible to find in the slowly dwindling crowd.

William shrugged. "How could it be? We shut him down for good. Xana is over, Yumi, but that doesn't change the fact that there are crazy people in this world."

His words, oddly enough, gave her strength and courage. Xana had been a great challenge, but they had triumphed. They could survive anything as long as they stuck together. Trying to keep the blood out of her sight, she hurried back to the chair and started restacking the miscellaneous items.

"What are you doing?" asked Emily, daring to get a little closer to the unknown blood. "You aren't really thinking of going up there, are you?"

"Of course I am," Yumi replied calmly. When she was greeted by disbelieving and crazed looks, she explained. "Look, my friends are the most important people to me, and right now they're in trouble. And even if it means dying, I'm going to try to help them. It beats sitting here, waiting to die." Even though she tried to sound tough, she could hear the fear sticking to her voice.

William picked up a book and piled it at the top. "I'm with you," he said. "You're right. We have to take charge."

There was a chorus of "yeahs!" from all around, and the once defeated students found their feet again. Emily picked up another book, smiling a little as she handed it to Yumi. However, her smile faded as a crimson-stained folded piece of paper fell from the book and floated down to the floor.

Their blood ran cold. Another note, so it must've been another murder. But who? Sad though she was, Yumi was overrun by anger. She snatched the note up and read it clearly:

_Dust to dust, ashes to ashes,_

_Gust to gust, lashes to lashes._

_The blood, like a river, flows onward_

_Snaking its way forever more_

_Around piles of white, empty carcasses._

_And where to run, you ask?_

_For fields of poppies block any escape._

_Now, for now, we wait, and wait._

_Until death, slowly and painfully_

_Slithers its way up to your door._

_It will be coming soon_

_For you._

_For you._

"What does that even mean?" asked Theo, listening to Yumi's shaky voice. "It's as morbid as every other poem before, but much harder to understand."

"There's nowhere to run," Emily said cryptically.

"What do you mean?" questioned Yumi, suspicious.

"Don't you get it?" The LeDuc girl replied. "Dust and ashes are signs of death, of neglect to a body or item. The carcasses morbidly speak for themselves, of course. The note is saying no matter where we go, there is no escape. We have a river of blood on one side, and a field of poppies on the other."

"Poppies?" asked William. "Last I checked, flowers weren't all that creepy or murderous."

"They represent death," replied Yumi, catching on to the pattern. "Of course… this all-seeing psychopath must know exactly what we are thinking."

"Yeah…once we get hope, he takes it all away," muttered Theo.

Yumi tore the note into tiny pieces and dropped them to the floor, before stamping on them with her boot. "Well, screw what he, or she, or it, whatever, says. I'm getting out of here alive, with my friends." And with that, she finished the precarious tower on the chair and started to climb up.

"Wait," said William. "I meant it when I said I am coming with you." He turned back to the crowd. "Any more lights?"

"I've got a flashlight app on my phone," Sissi, finally deciding to be helpful, revealed. "But if you put even one little scratch on it, I swear I'll-"

"Wait!" said Theo, rushing over. "You mean you've had a phone this entire time and you never mentioned it? We could call for help!"

"Uh, no, actually, we can't. You see, Daddy got a teensy bit upset when I went a little over my texting limit last month, so my service is cut off."

He wretched the phone from her hands, causing her to cry out in pain. "It doesn't matter. Any phone can dial 9-1-1, as long as it has battery." He quickly dialed the number, putting the phone on speaker so the room could hear.

It was ringing! Finally, some good news!

Riiiiiiiiiiiing. Riiiiiiiiiiiing. Riiiiiiiiiiiing.

"_If you would like to make a call, please hang up and say your prayers. Phones won't work here. So sorry, but you're stuck playing my little game!"_

The line went dead. Yumi's blood ran cold. It was the same voice they had heard before, the voice that called out to them. It was still stuck somewhere between male and female, so they were left with no leads.

"How the hell did this guy get control of the phones!" yelled Theo, crushing Sissi's prized pink phone in his hand. She started yelling at him for breaking it, cursing his stupid male anger issues and claiming he had better replace it before her daddy found out.

"How…is this even possible?" whispered Yumi, perched on the chair, goose flesh dancing across her skin.

The clatter of someone hurrying through the airshafts distracted her from her thoughts. Someone was coming, and quickly!

X

_So, there's the latest chapter. I'm really getting back into this story and coming up with some new ideas for it. If you guys review and inspire me to write the next chapter, I can probably have it out pretty quickly (I hope!). On the bright side, I promise not to make you wait 4 years for an update._

_Review with ideas, thoughts, or suspicions!_

_Oh, and I have no idea what the French equivalent to 9-1-1 is, so just play along and pretend they call 9-1-1 when they have emergencies too. Heh._

_-Fox Kitsune_


End file.
